Adieu blaireau

Philippe Leotard was a very talented actor who passed away recently.Since his debut (his first important part was in the war movie "avoir vingt ans dans les Aurès" though he already was in TRuffault -who "invented" him,they say- in "domicile conjugal"),he remained an interesting personality,a Serge Gainsbourg who would have relinquished music for the movies.Like the great singer/composer,his premature death suggests he probably used to burn the candle at both ends.To crown it all,his brother was a politician , the minister of defense at the time at that!(Leotard used to say:me,I'm the minister of "défonce" (=getting high!)) Everything rests on his shoulders and the director contents himself with a story full of clichés (an umpteenth version of Dassin's "night and the city" ,if you know what I mean).The lighting effects favor dark blue and orange and most of the action takes place at night.A pre-AA Juliette Binoche briefly appears as a singer.Annie Girardot could have been an ideal co-star for Leotard but her part is so underwritten it's a wonder we remember her.Watchable for Leotard's fans but only for them.